It’s a clash of the AAC and the SoCon when the East Carolina Pirates host the Mercer Bears to open up the 2022-23 college basketball season for both sides on Tuesday. The Pirates are coming off a .500 campaign in 2021-22. Mercer fell just short of that mark, going 16-17 last season. Mercer’s season ended in the second round of the SoCon Tournament last season while ECU failed to advance past the first round of its conference tournament.
Tip-off from Minges Coliseum in Greenville, N.C., is set for 7 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Bears as 1.5-point favorites in the latest Mercer vs. East Carolina odds. The over/under for total points is set at 132. Before locking in any East Carolina vs. Mercer picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past six years, the proprietary computer model has generated more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Mercer vs. ECU and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for ECU vs. Mercer:
- Mercer vs. East Carolina spread: Bears -1.5
- Mercer vs. East Carolina over/under: 132 points
- Mercer vs. East Carolina money line: Bears -125, Pirates +105
- MER: The Bears went 16-15 ATS last season
- ECU: The Pirates went 16-14 ATS last season
- Mercer vs. East Carolina picks: See picks here
Featured Game | East Carolina Pirates vs. Mercer Bears
Why Mercer can cover
The Bears lost their top two scorers from last season, which means more will be needed from the likes of James Glisson III and Kamar Robertson. Those two both averaged in double-figures a year ago, but the team also has incoming transfer Jalen Cobb, who missed all of last season with an injury. Cobb previously played at Fordham, where he averaged 9.7 points per game over three seasons and ranked among the top 10 in steals per game in the conference each of his three seasons with the Rams.
Mercer will be hoping for more success on the road as the team went just 4-11 in away games last season. The Bears are one of the best free throw shooting teams in the nation, as they finished 18th nationally at 77% last year.
Why East Carolina can cover
ECU hasn’t lost a season opener in more than two decades. The Pirates will look to continue that trend as they break in a new core in 2022-23. Seven-footer Ludgy Debaut will be a big part of the defensive plan for ECU. He blocked four shots in ECU’s final game of 2021-22 and the Pirates will be counting on that presence in the paint going into 2022.
Former Tennessee and Texas assistant Michael Schwartz is the new head coach and he’ll bring a defensive mindset. Guard Quentin Diboundje comes with Schwartz from Tennessee as a key transfer and the Pirates also brought in Boston College transfer Wynston Tabbs, who averaged nearly 14 points per game last season.
How to make Mercer vs. East Carolina picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, suggesting the teams combine for a total of 143 points. It also says one side of the spread hits more than 60% of the time. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins East Carolina vs. Mercer? And which side of the spread hits more than 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Mercer vs. East Carolina spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $1,200 on its top-rated college basketball spread picks over the last six years, and find out.
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